Flash-light cartridge.



GUSTAV H. HERRMANN, OF SCHVVEIDNITZ, GERMANY.

FLASH-LIGHT CARTRIDGE.

No. s1 1,780.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application led Nmlll' 25,1903. Serial NO. 182,6 70

To ctZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAv H. HEnnMANN, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Schweidnitz, Province of Silesia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash-L' htCartridges g and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to an improved envelop for explosives, and relates more especially to an improved construction of Wraper or envelop to be used in the making of flash-light cartridges, which are extensively used in gunnery practice.

In artillery practice at long range when the target can no longer be detected with the plain eye it is customary to use ashdight cartridges to indicate the position of the target, which cartridges are made to flash u at eertain intervals. For this purpose tlIiJe {lashlight cartridges are placed around the target in certain number and manner and intercon nected by means of time-fuse, so that upon the latter being lighted the cartridges Will successively be set oil". The cartridge generally contains a mixture of smokeless ovvder, surrounded by an envelop of materia not liable to burn or glow after the flash. It has been found that a fabric made of animal hair is best suited for this purpose, as it is porous to an extent to not perce tibly retain the explosion ases, does not g ow after the :flame surroun ing it has gone out, and is indestructible by the explosion, thus preventing untimely less of unexploded charge. The cloth envelo s now in use, however, in practice show a disa vantage, inasmuch as they do not permit the flame to shine evenly in all directions,

l with the result that the gunner can easily mistake the position of the target. The rean son for thisuneven distribution of light is that the envelope are made of a square piece of fabric, the longitudinal edges of which iirst have to be hemmed and then sewed together. The hemming before sewing together is indisensable, owing to the tendency of the loose lhbric to unravel. The seWed-together overlapping edges naturally resent a greater resistance to the issuing ame than the single e thickness, and the lightconsequently Will projected unevenly at the points of least resistance.

The object of the present invention new is to do awa f with this defect and provide an envelop o uniform texture through which the flame can issue evenly all over its surface and which will not part during the explosion, and thereby cause more or less charge to be spiiled unex loded.

I obtain tllie desired endb Weavingaseamless tube or hose of animal hair, and use this as inclosing integument for the dash-powder composition.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation oi a target with a string of interconnected Hash-cartridges of my construction. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of aoartridge closed at one end and Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a cartridge.

The cartridge is made up by taking alength of tube a oi hair fabric, drawing the timefuse b through it, contracting and tying togather one end of the tube, as shown in Fig. 2, and then lling in the composition iiashpowder c, so as to have the fuse centrally within the envelop. Finally, the other end is contracted and closed in any suitable manner, the iinished article then resembling in appearance a crackeix A number of these cartridges interconnected by means of the fuse t is arranged around the target d, preierably by being hung on hooks and can be set oii:` successively by lighting t e depending end b of the fuse.

What I claim is l. A iiash iight cartridge comprising a seamless, porous tube oi animal-hair fabric containing dash-powder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A llashelight cartridge comprising a seamless, porous tube of animal-hair fabric, composition flash-powder contained therein, a fuse in contact with said charge and protruding from said seamless tube, and means for closing the ends of said tube, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimon that I claim the foregoing as my invention have signed my name in presence oi two subscribin Witnesses.

GUSTA H. HERRMANN.

Witnesses:

ERNs'r KATZ, ALBERT ScnnNK.

IOC 

